TELEDENTISTRY- A NEW APPROACH TO DENTISTRY

Tele dentistry is a type of telecommunication in which clinical information and images is
exchanged between patients and dentists through an online platform. It helps to
make dentistry easily accessible and affordable and improves the quality of patients.
It is beneficial both for the patients as well as the dentist. During the recent period when
the pandemic had confined everyone to their houses and dental clinics were closed, the
need for online dental consultation increased. Through teledentistry, patients could
have an online consultation with their dentists, if required medicines could be prescribed
and in turn, save money and time. In case of a dental emergency such as an accidental
loss of teeth especially seen in children a dentist can guide the parents on what
measures must be taken to monitor the child’s health and how to transport the tooth
safely to the clinic so it can be reimplanted back into the child’s mouth. Usually in the case of
complex dental procedures such as orthodontic treatments, implant procedures patients
generally seek a second opinion, through an online video consultation this procedure
can be easily carried out without the patient themselves visiting the dentist and quality
of care is also not compromised making dentistry accessible and affordable.
Furthermore, teledentistry can play a vital role for parents of young children who are
extremely anxious about visiting a dentist. An online video consultation with the dentist
helps the children to familiarize themselves with the dentist and can give the parents the
necessary treatment plan so as they can prepare the child for the visit. The dentist can
also demonstrate the necessary procedure to be carried out on models, so the child’s
fears are eliminated.
Teledentistry is also useful in the case of old aged patients who can get their dental
consultation at their homes without having to undergo the hassle of traveling. Tele
dentistry thus ensures quality dental care that would be available at a traditional brick
and motor clinic saving patients time and money.